Precision Orthodontics: Vivid Results
At Vivid Smiles Orthodontics, protecting your investment doesn't stop when your braces or Invisalign come off — every patient leaves with a retainer.
A retainer is a custom-made appliance that holds your teeth in their new position. Teeth naturally drift over a lifetime, and right after treatment, they're especially prone to wanting to move back toward where they started. The only reliable way to lock in your results long-term is consistent, ongoing retainer wear.
A Fixed Wire Behind Your Teeth
A thin wire bonded to the back of your front teeth, where shifting is most common (especially on the bottom arch). It gives an extra layer of protection for the times a removable retainer isn't in. Even with a bonded wire, you'll still need to wear a removable retainer — it's not a substitute, just backup. And despite being called "permanent," it can be removed later if needed.
Clear, Comfortable, Everyday Wear
A clear plastic retainer molded to fit snugly over all your teeth. Every patient receives an upper and lower Essix retainer at the end of treatment since nothing is bonded on. Typically worn 8–10 hours a night.
Built for Growing Smiles
Designed for patients who complete early (Phase 1) treatment, this retainer is made of colorful plastic and covers the front teeth, first molars, and palate. It holds any expansion or alignment achieved during early treatment while still allowing baby teeth to fall out and adult teeth to erupt normally. Worn 8–10 hours a night once early treatment ends.
The Classic
A metal wire across the front teeth paired with an acrylic palate piece, customizable in different colors. We use this option in situations where the back bite needs time to settle.
Not if you wear your retainers. Here's the thing to understand: the most stableposition for your teeth is actually where they started — before treatment — even though that's rarely the healthiest or most attractive position. Braces and Invisalign move your teeth somewhere new, which is inherently a little less stable. Treatment isn't a cure; it's not something that "holds" on its own once it's done.
Some people's teeth barely shift at all, but there's no reliable way to know in advance who falls into that group — so we recommend nightly retainer wear for life, for everyone. One myth worth clearing up: wisdom teeth aren't the cause of shifting. Shifting tends to happen around the same time wisdom teeth come in, but the two aren't actually connected. The fix either way is the same: wear your retainer, nightly.
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